The Secret Search Ranking Factor That's Costing You Opportunities
And how to use it to your advantage
Welcome to issue #073 of LinkedIn Unlocked. Twice a week, I share practical, unfiltered advice for free to help senior executives land their next role—faster, and without wasting time on strategies that don't work.
I've spent 20 years in the medical devices industry, including 5 at the C-level.
Today, I lead the global life sciences practice at one of the top 10 executive search firms worldwide. I know exactly how headhunters use LinkedIn—because I do it every day.
There's a hidden ranking factor in LinkedIn's algorithm that most executives completely miss.
It's not your headline length. It's not your keyword density. It's not even your "Open to Work" setting.
It's something much simpler—and much more powerful.
Keyword repetition in your job titles.
When we analyzed 2,500 LinkedIn profiles using LinkedIn Recruiter, one pattern became crystal clear: executives who had held the same title multiple times consistently ranked higher in search results.
Someone who had been "Vice President of Sales" three times appeared above candidates with identical qualifications who had only held that title once.
The algorithm rewards repetition. But here's what's shocking—most executives are accidentally sabotaging themselves.
(Not sure why Linkedin is so important for your job search read this newsletter post or just have a look through our archives with more than 80 job search gems.)
The Mistake 90% of Executives Make
Picture this scenario:
You were Vice President of Sales for North America for two years. Then your company restructured, and you became Vice President of Sales for the entire Americas region.
Most people list this as one role: "Vice President of Sales | 2020-2024"
Wrong move.
You just threw away a massive ranking boost.
LinkedIn's algorithm sees one mention of "Vice President of Sales" instead of two. You're competing with executives who understand this game—and they're winning.
The Right Way to Structure Your Experience
Here's exactly what you should do:
Split that single role into two separate entries:
Entry 1: "Vice President of Sales - North America" (2020-2022) Entry 2: "Vice President of Sales - Americas" (2022-2024)
Now you have "Vice President of Sales" appearing twice in your experience section. The algorithm notices. Your ranking improves. Recruiters find you faster.
This isn't manipulation—it's accuracy. Your responsibilities evolved. Your scope changed. Document it properly.
🚀 If you want to speed up your job search book a strategy call with me here →
Industry Keywords Amplify the Effect
Don't stop at job title repetition. Add industry context to every title.
Instead of: "Vice President of Sales" Write: "Vice President of Sales | Medical Devices"
Why does this work? Because recruiters filter by industry 95% of the time.
When I search for a Vice President of Sales, I'm not looking at every Vice President of Sales on LinkedIn. I'm filtering for medical devices, pharmaceuticals, or whatever industry my client operates in.
If your title doesn't include the industry, you're not even in the search results.
The Headline Connection
Your headline carries enormous algorithmic weight—arguably more than any other field.
If "Vice President of Sales" appears in your headline AND multiple times in your experience section, you create a reinforcement loop that LinkedIn's algorithm loves.
Formula: Use your target title as the first words in your headline, then repeat it strategically throughout your experience.
Example headline: "Vice President of Sales | Global | Medical Devices | Cardiovascular | Revenue Growth Expert"
Real-World Impact
Last month, I optimized a client's profile using this exact strategy.
Sarah had been a Marketing Director for six years at the same company. But her role had evolved significantly—from regional to global responsibility, different product lines, expanded team size.
We split her experience into three distinct roles:
Marketing Director - EMEA (2019-2021)
Marketing Director - Global (2021-2023)
Marketing Director - Strategic Initiatives (2023-2024)
Result? Within two weeks, she appeared in the top 5 search results for "Marketing Director Medical Devices" searches. Before the change, she wasn't in the top 50.
Three different headhunters reached out in the following month.
Your Action Plan
Step 1: Review your experience section right now. Look for roles where your responsibilities, scope, or focus changed significantly.
Step 2: Split those roles into separate entries. Each major change in responsibility deserves its own listing.
Step 3: Add industry keywords to every job title: "Chief Financial Officer | SaaS" instead of just "Chief Financial Officer"
Step 4: Ensure your target title appears first in your headline and multiple times in your experience.
Step 5: Update your profile today. The algorithm responds to recent changes faster than static profiles.
(🎁 Bonus Tip: Have you noticed I write Vice President of Sales and not VP Sales or Chief Financial Officer instead of CFO? Reason: these are standard search terms in Linkedin, the search engine does not recognize abbreviations!)
🚀 If you want to speed up your job search book a strategy call with me here →
The Bottom Line
Keyword repetition isn't just about visibility—it's about competitive advantage.
While your competition lists 20 years of experience as 4 roles, you'll list it as 8 strategic entries that hammer home your expertise.
The algorithm will notice. Recruiters will find you. Opportunities will follow.
Stop thinking like a human reading a resume. Start thinking like an algorithm processing search queries.
Your next executive role depends on understanding this difference.
Take action today: Split one long role into multiple entries. Add industry keywords to your titles. Watch your ranking improve.
You're closer than you think.
Kristof
P.S. This is just one of 12 ranking factors I've identified through our LinkedIn algorithm research. Want the complete system? Check out my LinkedIn Optimization for Executives course for the insider strategies that get you found.